Beyond boundaries……leading to boundless satisfaction!

…..As narrated by Ms. Sangeeta S. Sawant,  Sr. Spl. Asst., TCC Branch, (Code No. 4319) Mumbai, Cell No. 9967185985

It was the month of February, 1991 and I was working at Ambarnath Branch. Due to the ensuing yearly closing of March, 1991, I was asked to reconcile a long outstanding entry (18 months old entry) of Rs. 5000/- pertaining to one Manjula Shelar, with a suggestion to credit Branch Commission Account if not traceable. I however disagreed with the suggestion and decided to dig out the particulars of the outstanding entry.

 After a thorough search, it transpired that the credit pertained to a clearing cheque which was drawn on our Mumbai Main Branch. The forwarding letter which had been treated as the credit voucher was missing. The Inward Dak Register was scrutinized but no such entry was found. It was also difficult for the Clearing Section of Mumbai Main Branch to locate the drawer’s name. But a simple guess that cheques drawn on SBI Mumbai Main Branch, were generally issued by Regional Provident Fund Office, Thane towards PF settlement, made me search in this direction.

 Efforts proved to be in vain. I had almost given up and was on the verge of concluding the search. The following week I had to attend a marriage ceremony and hence had taken a day’s casual leave. But my mind kept hovering around the missing credit voucher and the untraceable account. After the marriage ceremony, I did not return home. I went to the EPF Office, Thane. I requested the officer at EPF office to help in giving the details of the beneficiary Manjula Shelar and her correct account number. As I did not have any related documents with me, the Officer expressed his helplessness by stating that thousands of cheques were being issued daily and that it was not possible to find the details. I requested him repeatedly to ask someone to trace the records of that date, but to no avail. Finally I declared that I would readily search the details if he handed over the records to me. He agreed. I could not believe my eyes, when I could actually trace the entry and the beneficiary’s name and address. I thanked him profusely and left. The following day, my Branch Manager deputed a messenger to the address, which was a slum area of Ambarnath. Ms. Manjula Shelar was reportedly a widow and worked as a maid servant at various houses.  She was called at the branch with her passbook.

 On verifying her passbook, it was observed that her account was inoperative. She stated that she had frequently enquired with the Bank but  was informed about the non-receipt of credit from the EPF office. She had also visited the EPF Office, Thane several times who kept insisting that the credit was passed on to Ambarnath Branch. As she had been tossed around too many times, she had finally given up the Bank itself!

 With my efforts and the co-operation extended by the EPF Officer, I could help Ms. Manjula Shelar in receiving her dues of Rs. 5000/- which was a big amount then to the slum dweller during 1991.

 My Branch Manager, Mr. Arun Palande was very happy. He appreciated my efforts and rewarded me by cancelling my sanctioned Casual Leave and paid me deputation allowance for that day for having visited the EPF Office, Thane and successfully tracing the relative entry in their records.

 I received immense joy and utmost boundless satisfaction! 

 Indeed, it does pay to go beyond boundaries…….!

Contributed by Ms. Jeanne Pereira, Chief Manager (Training) & Intervention Leader I, SBLC, Bandra, Mumbai.